NJ/NY POTA Rove - Activations #70 - #73

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 I took a rental car on this week's work trip along with my KX3 in hopes of getting a few QRP POTA activations under my belt after work.   The trip did not disappoint, but operating QRP with a compromise antenna (ok, don't call it a compromise) is a really tricky challenge.

My first activation on Monday evening was US-0746 Morristown National Historical Park, specifically the Jockey Hollow area of the park.   This site has been on my list for several years, and its less than 10 minutes from the corporate office in Basking Ridge NJ.  Ironically there is no cell service in the park, lots of areas my phone had SOS or barely 1 bar of service which added to the QRP challenge.  I activated the park as second time on Tuesday, for a combined 23 QSOs and about 90 minutes of operating time across both days! 

Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winter on record. The park also maintains a museum and library collection related to the encampments and to George Washington, as well as items from both pre- and post-Revolutionary America.    Morristown National Historical Park was recognized on March 2, 1933. It was the first site to be designated a National Historical Park in the United States.








The third round of activations were planned in NY.  I got up early on Wednesday morning and drove to Staten Island.    The rain started mid morning, making each activation very wet and soggy.   

The first stop was US-8067 Clay Pit Ponds State Preserve.  Nice little park with interesting exhibits, but the noise floor (from solar lights maybe) was S9 making any QRP contacts impossible.  I packed up and left for the next stop. 







US-5695 Mount Loretto Unique Area was a real treat within walking distance of the Lower New York Bay.  RF noise was minimal, the bands were in good conditions and I made 15 contacts in 90 minutes, with some breaks to make some phone calls and get out and hike to the see the ocean.  





My final stop was US-5428 North Mt. Loretto State Forest.  The activation almost didn't happen.  The parking lot for the park is quite small, and vehicles coming and going caused generated a lot of RFI, especially one older electric hybrid vehicle that parked near me and caused S9+many DB of noise!  

I spent over 90 minutes of calling CQ off and on, got stuck with only 6 QSOs,  tried different bands, tried hunting, re-spotted myself and finally got number 10, then number 11 right away.    




All in all a fun and satisfactory day, all with the Elecraft KX3 and AX-1 "compromise" antenna.  Chris de WX7V




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